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Bottle gourd/ Churaykka pachadi
Churaykka/Lauki/bottle gourd is used in stews and curries and becomes soft and juicy when cooked. Pachadi is a simple side dish popular in Kerala made with spiced and seasoned yogurt. When cooked churaykka pachadi tastes similiar to vellarikka/cucumber pachadi. Try this cooling and refreshing pachadi,you will surely love it.

Peel churakka, remove seeds in the center and cut bottle gourd into thin small pieces. Cook this along with green chilly, salt. Cover and cook in low heat. Vegetable will start oozing water and will get cooked. Allow this to cool down a bit.

Make
a fine paste of coconut, cumin,mustard seeds and garlic.Mix this into
yogurt and whisk . Pour this to the cooked bottle gourd an…

Garlic and Dates Pickle
A spicy and sweet garlic and dates pickle for all pickle lovers out there. This pickle is made with fresh garlic and dates. You can substitute dates with raisins. Garlic has a strong pungent flavor .But as the pickle sits matures for a few weeks it becomes soft and the intense flavor reduces to a sweet garlic smell,this combined with the sweet dates makes it very appetizing. Try thus you will surely love it. Ingredients
Garlic-1 cup
Dates whole- 15-20
Chilly powder-4 tbs
(or according to your spice tolerance)
Fenugreek powder-1 tbs
Mustard powder- 2 tsp
Asafoetida- 1 tsp
Salt- to taste
Sugar - 1 tsp
Gingerly oil- 1/3 cup
Vinegar- 1/3 cup

Steam dates for three minutes and keep aside. When it comes to room temperature use paper towel and pat them dry. Peel garlic and keep aside. Here I used whole garlic. You can also slice them.Note: This recipe is for instant pickle. If you can allow it to mature for a few weeks,there is no need to steam the dates
Heat
ging…

Pepper Sardine
Sardine is very common sea food in Kerala. This is a recipe which we tried during our recent visit to India. It was from my mother-in laws recipe book collection . It was a quick and easy recipe and it was learning experience and great fun to experiment some rare authentic recipes with my mother-in-law.Thanks Ammachi for this recipe.

Sardine is a small oily fish found in plenty in the Indian Ocean.There are different types of sardines world wide and are rich in protein, calcium and fatty acids. Pepper sardine is a healthy and tasty version with the flavor of pepper and the sourness of gooseberry. This recipe is a keeper which you would love to try again and again.

Pre heat oven to 375 degree F.
In a bowl mix together flour, baking powder,baking soda,salt and set aside.
Whisk
butter and sugar till it is light and fluffy. Add egg and beat till
thick and pale. Add mashed banana, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla
extract and mix.
Strain the cranberries and mix with one tsp of flour. Grease and dust cake tin with flour and set aside.
Add the dry ingredients and cranberries and fold in.
Pour
into prepared loaf tin and
bake for 35- 4…

Lima Beans Potato curry
Potato curry is a quick side dish for chapatis. I got this healthy lima beans for the first time. It turned out to be a good combo with potato. Lima beans has a smooth buttery texture.It is healthy beans rich in dietary fiber and nutrients. I used frozen Fordhook lima bean and it does not take much time to cook.Try this,you will surely love it.

Wash and boil potatoes till it is soft and cooked. Chop into cubes. Steam lima beans for 4-5 minutes till it is cooked ( or boil for 4-5 minutes and drain out the excess water).
Soak cashew nuts in water (10-12) and make a fine paste.
Heat oil in a pan and saute onions, green chilly and ginger garlic pas…